Plymouth students say thanks to their teachers

April 17, 2007|IDA CHIPMAN Tribune Correspondent

PLYMOUTH -- Sometimes the teaching moments come outside the classroom. There were smiles, hugs and some speech-stopping sobs during the annual program for the academic excellence recipients at Plymouth High School. Each student was asked to talk about the teacher who had made the biggest difference in their lives. Jason Renz chose his basketball coach and psychology teacher, Jack Edison. "In my freshman year, he taught me basketball and juggling, headstands and bowling," Jason said. "But mostly, he taught me to be a better person." Jason was the 2007 Trester Award winner with the Class 3-A state champion basketball team. Travis Langdon chose Michael Delp, his tennis coach for four years. "He hates to lose," Travis said. "After two weeks of conditioning, the whole team would go out together and play paintball. "We'd all try to get on the opposite team of Mr. Delp so as to take him out. When someone did, four or five of us would claim that it was their shot. "Hitting him with the paint was special." Michael Hooker told of Aimee Portteus, Plymouth High School guidance counselor, not so much for her wisdom as for the fact that at the prom in his sophomore year, "she danced with me when no girl would." He added that her counsel was to make good choices. "Those are words to live by in everything you do," Michael said. Several seniors thanked their teachers for their values. Brendan Fox said his fourth-grade teacher at St. Michael's Catholic School taught her students three important rules -- respect for the Lord, respect for your country and respect for others. Sanchara Ballog struggled to finish her accolades for her English and journalism teacher, Mary Gifford. "I learned how being nice to others is important in life," she said. "She is the dominant figure in my education and my life." Cameron Capper praised his second-grade Menominee Elementary teacher, Christa Snyder, telling how she had written on one of his assignments, "Now you're whistling Dixie!" "I didn't know what that meant," Cameron said. He recalled how their class had a community crayon bucket for kids who couldn't keep track of their own and how -- somehow -- his crayons got mixed in with the others. "She helped me get them out," he said. On Valentine's Day, Snyder put on extra lipstick and gave all of her students a big smooch on the cheek. "Now you're whistling Dixie," Cameron said.